The Witch of Willow Sound

by Vanessa F. Penney

For readers of Our Wives Under the Sea and The Once and Future Witches comes a feminist gothic tale with a tough-as-nails female protagonist who must find her elderly aunt, long suspected of being a witch. A spooky, atmospheric, and fast-paced feminist tale about women called witches and the parts of our history we’d rather forget

Madeline is missing. Ordered to find her, Madeline’s estranged niece, Fade, must return to the lonely forest of Willow Sound, Nova Scotia. There, Fade discovers her aunt’s once-cozy cottage empty and rotting. The ominous smell of something burnt hangs in the air.

In her search for answers, Fade clashes with the people of Grand Tea, a nearby village struggling under the shadow of a massive, looming rock that could tip and crush them all at any time. For generations, they’ve invented bizarre lore about Madeline, calling her a witch and blaming her for their misfortunes. They’ve had more misfortunes than ever lately. And a hurricane is coming.

Inspired by real East Coast traditions and witch lore, The Witch of Willow Sound is a modern gothic tale that explores family lost and found and throws firelight on dark truths about what societies do with the people, and the past, they don’t want.

Genres: Horror, Gothic, Witches, Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Historical Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2025

Reviews

[TheConnieFox · Rating 4 out of 5]

♥ My Overall Thoughts ♥

I really enjoyed reading this modern gothic novel! It kept my attention the entire time reading it. The prologue was very disturbing and graphic, it was definitely a different way to start off a story. However, this is a very important part to read, because there will be a complete understanding as to why it happened. This book has all the gothic book elements in it, which I loved. I found the female main character to be funny, strong, witty, interesting and sarcastic.

What truly intrigued me is that this story is inspired by real witch lore and east coast traditions. This fast paced book is not scary, just a little spooky mixed with a cozy cottage setting. This book has all the witchy vibes! It also comes with mystery, a gothic romance, identity discovery, family secrets, vivid descriptions and the power of magic! The author’s debut novel took me into a rabbit hole of gothic fantasy!

♥ Book Synopsis ♥

“The Witch of Willow Sound” starts off with an eerie dark disturbing graphic scene. Once the prologue is over, this story takes us on a journey with a girl named Fade. She is asked to look for her aunt, who went missing. Fade is also told to not trust anyone she comes across, including the cops. Willow Sound is the place where her aunt always stays. As Fade arrives at her aunts home, everything about it was different. It was no longer this bright and cheerful cottage, but a dark and gothic one. As this story unravels, we get to learn about Fade and what kind of powers she possesses. Overall, I give this a 4 out of 5 stars!

♥ Who I would recommend this book to ♥

I highly recommend this to anyone that loves gothic mystery and witchcraft. This reminded me of Alice in Wonderland mixed in with gothic witchcraft. Also, I think readers of the book “The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches” would enjoy this.

♥ Content Warnings ♥

Content warnings include murder, death and misogyny.

♥ Thank You ♥

Thank you to NetGalley, author Vanessa F. Penney and ECW Press publishing for this digital advanced reader’s copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

♥ Publication Date ♥

This book is expected to be published on September 30, 2025!

♥ Quick Review ♥

✔️ Gothic Vibes
◾️ Author’s Debut Book
✔️ Inspired by real witch lore
◾️ Fantasy
✔️ Spooky / Cozy vibes
◾️ Family Secrets
✔️ Mystery
◾️ Strong Female Main Character

》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ * 。° 。 • ˚《

❥ ୨⎯ Connie ⎯୧ ❥

ツ౨ৎ

[Sadie Hartmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title/Author: The Witch of Willow Sound by Vanessa F. Penney
Format Read: audiobook/hoopla
Pub date: September 30th, 2025
Publisher: ECW Press
Page Count: 320
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978177041...
Recommended for readers who enjoy:
- Strong, sassy, unique FMCs
- Small town/ rural village energy (Nova Scotia)
- Witches/witchcraft
- Missing person mystery
- Witchy cottage in the woods coziness
- Fight the patriarchy and leeches who try to demonize women while simultaneously co-opting their resources for profit (think: Slewfoot)
- The FMC befriends an eccentric townsperson who turns out to be a faithful and loyal companion
__
Minor complaints:
- Zero complaints-flawless

Final recommendation: 
This book is wholly and completely original in its storytelling style, character voice, plot and setting. The FMC (Phaedra/"Fade") is a little like Dorothy (Wizard of Oz) + Alice (Alice in Wonderland) in modern-day, rural Nova Scotia searching for her beloved Aunt Madeline. She meets a whole host of strange and unusual people in Willow Sound, who either help or hinder the quest. Some of the townspeople are scared of the missing witch and the folklore that surrounds her, while others seem interested in profiting of her legend.
Fade befriends a quirky fellow who quickly becomes on of my favorite characters and the dynamic between these two is a delight! This is why I'm highly recommending the audiobook-the narrator really helps to bring the story to life. I would love a movie!

Comps: Slewfoot by Brom

[Bella · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I hear the word "frig" one more time i am going to lose it

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

" . . . my life is the worst-ever fairy tale come true . . . "

Phaedra Luck arrives in Grand Tea, Nova Scotia to look for her missing aunt. Because that dear lady lived alone, and knew her way around herbs, healing, and brewing awesome tea, she was, of course, assumed to be a witch. Did she just take off (on a broom, perhaps), or has she met with foul play?

It seems the weird residents of Grand Tea are rather obsessed with witches. The mayor is even hoping to turn the town into a Salem-like tourist trap, and he'd like to have an actual witch's house as the centerpiece of his dark arts wonderland.

Things get a bit convoluted and muddled plot-wise, but there's much to love here. The author provides plenty of humor thrown in to counteract the darker moments, and the repartee between Fade and Nish is priceless. She also racks up bonus points for avoiding the instalove trap.

In all, I thought this was a pretty enjoyable read, and a very promising first novel.


Thanks to NetGalley and ECW Press for sharing.

[vaishnavi ☆ﾟ⁠.⁠* is editing reviews! · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC
eARC recieved from NetGalley.

The prologue was unsettling in the right way, and I wish the rest of the book followed that same tone. Instead we follow Fade, whose inner monologue and constant defence of her aunt made me think she was going through an emo "no-one-understands-me" and "I-hate-everyone" phase in her life.

I figured out where things were headed around the 70% mark, but that didn't ruin the experience. The setting is eerie but not exactly scary? It leans more into a cottagecore aesthetic and a touch of folklore. The story pulls from real witch lore and East Coast traditions, which was nice.

The 'book' titles were fun: I love how Fade says she wants to avoid 'weird people from Grand Tea' and the next part in the book is titled 'Weird People from Grand Tea'. Didn't want to spoil it through my updates, so I just had to point it out in the review. The cover art is stunning as well.

Overall, it was fine. Just fine. Nothing bad, but nothing that truly stuck with me either. A very "it was there and I read it" kind of book.

[Jodie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and ECW Press for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 💖

I was drawn to this book because of the cover art and the intriguing premise. It promised gothic mystery vibes and folklore, which i absolutely love.

The story follows Fade, who travels to her aunt Madeline’s home after her mother calls with the news that Madeline has gone missing. As Fade searches for her aunt, the story weaves in local folklore and a history of witches, as well as superstitious townsfolk who believe Madeline to be a witch.

The plot itself had potential, but I’m sad to say I didn’t enjoy the book overall. The main character felt hotheaded (often emotionally dysregulated) and honestly quite unlikeable, which made it hard for me to connect with the story. The writing was clunky at times, and the dialogue didn’t feel natural.

I also noticed quite a few grammatical and structural issues that pulled me out of the story.
The way the plot unfolded felt off. It was not unpredictable in a good way, but it was more like it didn’t quite know what it wanted to be. It had a great premise, and I could see what the author was trying to do, but for me, it just didn’t land.

Ironically, the prologue was probably the strongest part of the book. I really wish that the same tone and quality had carried through the rest of the story.

[Trin ˖ . ݁𝜗𝜚. ݁₊ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️
🧙🏻‍♀️🪄Thank you NetGalley for this eArc in exchange of an honest review!

This was such a fun and witchy read! Perfect for a mature teen / YA. The writing is super fast paced and kept me hooked the entire time, which I loveeee. Also, I was laughing at some parts, especially during Nish and Fades conversations haha I love them. However, I’m still left with a couple questions that are unanswered.

Phaedra (Fade), her character was developed with so much love and thought. She was confident (not too confident where it messed with the storyline) and held her ground.

Nish, he was soooo funny to me for no reason😂. He was such a cute and bubbly character which I feel like added balance to a dark setting and story.

This is my first read by Ms. Vanessa Penney, and it didn’t disappoint! I think this may be her debut novel? (Not 100% sure) but I’m excited to see where her writing takes her and her future releases💕

[Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was genuinely pleasantly surprised by The Witch of Willow Sound. I chose this book because of its fascinating cover and interesting description. It is a feminist Gothic story with a strong female protagonist, and I was immediately drawn in by the setting in Nova Scotia and the obsessive atmosphere in the town of Grand Tea.

I really loved the characters, especially Fade and Nish. Oh my god, their dialogues and the way they have each other’s backs, I just loved it. It felt so real and heartfelt, seeing them rely on each other when there was no one else to trust. These were two characters I really cared about, and I hope there could be a follow-up, even if this story works perfectly as a standalone.

The plot was gripping and very touching, with moments that were truly tragic. I found it especially fascinating how obsessed people were with the idea that someone was a witch. The fear, suspicion, and group pressure around that belief was disturbing but also so compelling to read.

The book was really excellent. I could hardly stop reading once I got into the story. The twist towards the end, when everything needed to fall into place like a puzzle, was really powerful. I truly recommend this book.

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love seeing a Canadian setting in supernatural fiction. However, I hated the main character so so soooooo much. It drove me batty 🦇
The prologue was the best part, I didn’t enjoy the main plot as much. Certain moments and scenes in the rest of the story did have some redeeming qualities.
Love the cover too.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and ECW Press for a copy!

[Renee Godding · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5/5 stars

I was originally drawn to this novel based on both its stunning woodland-gothic cover, and it’s comp-title comparing it to Julia Armfield’s Our Wives Under the Sea. Although it took me a little time to recover from the whiplash of the wrong expectations that set me up with, I still ended up enjoying this for what it was.

The Story:
Madeline Luck is a witch: everyone in the isolated village of Great Tea knows this. They invent bizarre lore around here, blame her for all their misfortunes and stay away from her remote cabin in the forest on the outskirts of town. When Madeline goes missing, her estranged niece Fade travels out to this close-knit community in order to investigate the disappearance. What she finds is a legacy of witchcraft, hardship and family lost and found.

What I liked:
The Witch of Willow Sound opens with one of the strongest prologues I’ve read in a long time; a tense and truly dark scene of a witch-burning in a Nova-Scotian small town, witnessed by our narrator from the shadows. I was on the edge of my seat and immediately hooked. Was I finally in for the truly dark witchcraft story I’ve been looking for?
Then, in chapter 1, we switch narrator, timeline and tone drastically. Everything after the prologue feels much younger and more whimsical, almost bordering on “cozy horror”. It took a bit of readjusting, but I ended up loving this vibe, and the atmosphere and setting became some of my favourite elements of the story. The town of Great Tea feels overwhelmingly whimsical and magical, and yet below this cottage-core beauty lies a foundation of generational trauma and darkness. The author never allows us to forget about that dissonance and does an amazing job with sustaining the sense of unease that comes from that.
The same cozy-with-a-dark-aftertaste-vibe comes through in the magic-system. Without going into spoilers, the book covers tea-magic and memory-spells; both of which with a strong bittersweet aftertaste.
The author mentions in her afterword that she took inspiration from real life Nova Scotian towns and their folklore/history, and it shows: Great Tea felt like a world that’s alive and breathing beyond the pages of the story.

What I didn’t like:
As hinted at before, expectation-management is important, especially for a debut author, and I don’t think The Witch of Willow Sound does itself any favours here. The prologue being so different from the rest of the story in tone, might set some readers up with the wrong expectations, or come off as the novel being “confused about its tone”. The same can be said for the comparison to Our Wives Under the Sea in the tagline, which I genuinely don’t understand. I often disagree with certain comps, but in this case I genuinely cannot think of a single similarity between the two books. I almost question whether the person that came up with that line has even read either book, or if Witch of Willow Sound may have been going for a completely different tone originally.
The feeling that the book isn’t quite sure what it wants to be cropped up a few other times too, specifically in regard to the writing. At times it leans into the Shirley-Jackson-gothic, only to flip to a piece of dialogue that reminds me of T-Kingfisher’s comedy-horror. I love both these authors and styles, but I don’t love the flipflopping between them.
On a more subjective level, it was the dialogue and the way our protagonists voice was written that hindered my enjoyment the most. Fade is supposed to be a 30-something-year old, but her hotheadedness, quasi-witty banter and edgy snark in the most inopportune situations made her read far younger (more like YA). Then there was the cringe of how she swears every couple of pages, but self-censors by using the world “frig”. Awkward the first time, and got only worse from there.
A final writing-quirk that irked me was the overabundant use of onomatopoeia. Once you notice it, you cannot unsee the fact that they are EVERYWHERE. Your milage may vary with these, but when every page contains at least one or two instances *click click*, *creeeeaaaak* or *shhh,shhh*, I feel like I’m reading a toddlers read-aloud book…

Overall a mixed bag that I enjoyed overall, but had some room for improvement. I will definitely follow what this author does in the future.


Many thanks to ECW Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Denise Ruttan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a lot going for it for a debut, and I would read this author's future works, but I had very mixed feelings about it in the end. Our Wives Under the Sea was also a strange comp title, it only has anything in common with this book if you only read the synopsis. This book was trying to be witchy feminist gothic horror but I'd call it a dark crime thriller with gothic elements instead.

Fade Luck, short for Phaedra, is a homeless woman still trying to get her life together after mentally breaking down from her harrowing job as a police detective investigating child abuse. I really liked seeing a homeless character who sleeps in graveyards and all the challenges that can bring.

Fade's estranged mother has called her because her Aunt Madeline has gone missing. She travels back to the small town of Grand Tea, Nova Scotia, where she finds a hostile populace intent on using her aunt's reputation as a witch as an occult tourist attraction.

Along the way she meets her only ally, the town archivist, Nish, an irrepressibly cheerful nerd and my favorite character in the book.

I thought the quirky small town aspect and the research into Nova Scotia's folkloric history was very well done. Having lived in small towns as an outsider, I know that culture very well, although often the small town characters were way too over the top.

Where I struggled with this book was with Fade as a character and the writing style. This read like YA horror because Fade acted like a too-stupid-to-live teenager rather than a misunderstood, strong-willed 30-year-old woman. She said the word "frig" so many times that I just wanted to slap her. What grown adult says "frig?" No one commented on it. Even a single line mocking it would have been enough for me. As it was, the frequency of this childish curse word was just annoying and made me dislike the character more. Just say fuck, for fuck's sake.

My main issue with this book, however, was the prose. There was no variation in the sentence structure. It wasn't fragmented at least, which I can't stand, but the sentences were short and choppy. This did a good job of establishing a gloomy atmosphere, but then rather than seeming poetic as was surely the intention, it became repetitive and kind of painful to read. It was a shame because it was otherwise very descriptive. It's a style so I can see why editors left it alone, but I didn't care for this style.

However, this was a feminist book, and I appreciated all the insight into the old ways of witchcraft, the recipes for ancient bread, rosewater wonders, and tea brewed from herbs and fruit. This debut was not without its flaws but I'll still pay attention to this author in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Ashley Daviau · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book absolutely blew me away! I sat down to start it before bed and said to myself, I’ll read a chapter or two and then go to sleep. Next thing I knew I was finished the book and it was WAY past my bedtime. It’s been a long time since a book made me forget the world around me like that and it was such a delicious feeling. Penney is a writer I’m going to be keeping my eye out for because this was such a phenomenal story!

[ThatBookish_deviant · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5

The dialogue and protagonist’s voice is a killjoy in what otherwise has the potential of a strong debut. Our main character, Fade, is in her 30’s but speaks like a snarky, edgy teen in a YA novel. I lost count of how often the words “frig” or “holy frig” are used throughout but it’s aplenty. At one point Fade “Biffs her phone across the room” and I just rolled my eyes and sighed but the overly casual language took me out of the story every time.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gothic feminist mystery about a missing woman, a rotting town, and the dangerous power of buried truths.

I found The Witch of Willow Sound to be beautifully written, with main characters I genuinely cared about. Although not scary as such, there’s a lingering eeriness that gets under your skin. The injustices explored were haunting.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for review.

[Frida · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 ⭐️

[Andrea Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creepy, witchy, and what a story to listen to!! Thank you for the lovely ending 🥰☕️

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fade, homeless, is sleeping in a Nova Scotia graveyard when she gets a message from her mother that her aunt has gone missing. Aunt Madeline lives in an isolated cottage on a cliff and has a reputation in the closest town as being a witch. Fade hasn’t seen her since she was a child.
I really enjoyed this book, great atmospheric location and there was lots of interesting historic bits and pieces (excellent afterword gave more background). A great read.

[Brooke Biette · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thousand stars. Easily one of my favorite books of the year, maybe all time. The setting - Nova Scotia, which is not far from Maine where I live - I have ancestors from/buried there, so this hit home literally. The atmosphere - a wet, dark, coastal forest.. A town built under a giant overhanging boulder. The characters - the FMC, so moody and unfortunate but strong and smart.. the MMC, so quirky and loveable. The witchcraft, the folklore, the lore of the area and the secrets of the towns and families.. I loved every single thing about this book and as soon as it was finished I wanted to reread it again immediately and annotate it. It was dark and spooky, but so soft and familiar. Ugh. My heart. This was incredible.

[Stella Nicoletta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Minus 1 Star because there’s only so many times I can tolerate the word “frick” in a book…

[Lani · Rating 1 out of 5]

oh god i dont even know where to start with this. i just really did not like a single thing about this book. the main character was so corny and not in an endearing kind of way. i had mentioned at the start that this girl sounded like she was either 17 (which would make sense with the way she spoke), or 35 (the actual case and what made reading her thoughts and dialogue kind of unbearable). there were things happening in this book but none of really made sense? my first gripe and what really just dragged on throughout the entire book was why she even responded to her mother in the first place. she mentions it had been YEARS since they had contact, so why now? and why was she so willing to hear her mother out? and when they do meet face to face, it didn't seem like there was any kind of animosity between them, so why hadn't they spoken and why were they on bad terms? the rest of the cast also just felt kind of hollow and there wasn't much depth given to them. the backstories that were given were just told to me rather than shown, the magic was vague, and the quirky east coast canadian-isms were just kinda thrown in there and ended up irking me more than making me feel any kind of canadian camaraderie. this was also not a book i'd classify as "gothic" by any means. having a raggedy, crumbling house with a basement doesn't necessarily equal "gothic", and i really just needed to hear the depraved ravings of why. of what. of who. just give me SOMETHING that doesnt feel so empty.

the biggest sin this book committed against me though was that the whole reason i picked it up to begin with (other than this being a canadian author and having "witch" in the title), was that there was a bunny on the cover. and there was no bunny in the book. absolutely zero talk or symbolism surrounding this bunny. why was the bunny there? i will never know.

[Josie Reiman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this!! It’s creepy, consuming, mysterious. I loved that this was based on real-life history and folklore. It made it witchy in a dark, cryptic way. This book is perfect for curling up with a cuppa during the “ber” months!!

The short chapters and fast pacing kept me glued to the page and propelled me through the story. The main mystery of where Madeline Luck disappeared to was intriguing and the Nova Scotian setting was captivating. Fade is tough as nails and certainly has her flaws but I found it easy to root for her. The unexpected friendship between Fade and Nish was really sweet and heartwarming as well. I felt like the ending wrapped up everything in a satisfying way, which is always a huge plus!

This was truly a wow book for me and I can’t wait to read whatever the author writes next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and ECW Press for the ARC!

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing like a killer cover and a knockout prologue to reel this reader in!

The book opens with a witch-burning—deliciously dark, atmospheric, and haunting. While this scene resurfaces later in the story, we quickly shift into what feels more like cozy horror territory, following our badass heroine, Fade. At her mother’s urging, Fade heads to her estranged Aunt Madeline’s cottage after reports surface that Madeline has gone missing.

Set in a small Nova Scotian town, rumors of the Witch of Willow Sound swirl around Fade, who’s instantly pegged as an outsider and, inconveniently, the spitting image of her aunt. The locals aren’t exactly welcoming. They blame Madeline for everything from bad luck to the ominous storm brewing just offshore.

When Fade arrives at the cottage, things feel... off. The house is crumbling, coated in dust, and the guest room she remembers from childhood has been torn apart. The bookshelf that once lined the wall is gone—replaced by a strange, terrifying door that definitely wasn’t there before.
Where does the door lead? And why is everyone so convinced her aunt was a witch?

Determined to find Madeline before the authorities start tearing things apart, Fade teams up with a visiting archivist named Nish. Together, they begin to unearth buried family secrets, hidden cellars, and the burned remains of... someone.

Cozy horror meets creeping folklore in a tale that’s strangely addictive, layered with chummy banter and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing up to the very end.

[anna-lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

banger book, banger chapters, banger writing, banger plot, absolute cinema
i loved the tension throughout the entire book, the stakes were so high and it got more and more stressful and dangerous the more the plot progressed.
the characters are something, i think you either like fade or you don't, but i absolutely adored her and her strength, her willpower and to keep going when everything is going wrong and working against her. i also adored how most of the town was super one dimensional, yes, it was a little annoying, but with how hateful they were, it was lowkey very realistic. how they were one big entity was a big pro and was a really interesting choice!
the twists and turns were amazing, the prologue instantly hooked me and the ending made me a little sad, but also hopeful and I will definitely be thinking about this book for a while!

[Emily Ferko · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book. It's spooky without being scary, and has all the best tropes of a gothic. While it's certainly modern, and feels fresh, I got the same feeling of cozy dread that I get when I read something like Jane Eyre or Rebecca. Fade is a curmudgeon who I wanted to win and her friendship with Nish is gorgeously written, and a relationship I think we all long for.

Bravo!





SPOILER BELOW*************

UM AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO FELT THAT STEAMY SEXUAL TENSION BETWEEN FADE AND SHERIFF? Give me a sequel where those two are hooking up in a forest on a bed of moss, please.

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

incredibly vivid and thought provoking, and the writing is so beautiful! a really lovely book.

[Kailyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed by this one, because the bones of a good story were there. I was expecting a witchy, feminist gothic tale, but it was more of a dark crime thriller with an edgy loner main character who befriends the goofball side character. Which is fine, but it wasn't what I was expecting. And I wasn't a fan of the pacing (what a slow beginning), the repetitive short, choppy sentences, and the odd sounding dialogue. Like other reviewers, I wish the writing in the prologue had been present in more of the book.

[Ana · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.25/5

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher

Madeline Luck is infamous in the Grand Tea community for being a witch. Living isolated and removed from everyone she's considered a bringer of misfortune and feared by all. When she goes missing it's up to her niece Fade to look for her and protect her legacy and secrets from the suspicious locals.

This book is being horrendously mismarketed, it has nothing to do with Our Wives Under The Sea or The Once and Future Witches. There's no real horror in here, nor supernatural or fantasy elements. It also lacks any real witches, witchcraft, or magic. Mostly, it's a slow paced mystery with too obvious twists and turns, clear bad guys, and weak prose. This needed a serious amount of editing, both the plot and the prose. I found this to be quite boring, it's a book where things just happen as the author demands it.

You can see that this book has an identity issue, there are lot of themes the author touched on but never committed to, and that indecision is clear. Did this want to be about inequality? Racism? Indigenous land rights? Family? It needed to commit itself to one thing at least. Same with the tone, it tried to be dark but never went there and all the character interactions were unbelievable. I don't have much more to say, I only added the .25 for Nish because I found him adorable.

[Nicole Safady · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really excited to jump into this book. The cover art is really cool and the plot sounded like something I would really enjoy. It ended up being a huge disappointment. I felt like you never knew what direction the story was going in(not in a good way). The fmc was a moron and she was constantly putting herself in extreme danger. She was also a major hothead that could do with some anger management. I just didn’t understand a single decision she made. The writing felt really clunky and it wasn’t enjoyable to read. The dialogue between characters didn’t feel natural at all. I really wish the witchy aspect of the book was explored more. There was never a reason for why anything was happening at any given time. It was just a huge letdown and I’m honestly confused why it has such a high rating. I don’t mean to be a jerk, but it’s just not that good. There’s way too many questions and not enough answers. On top of that you have an extremely unlikable mc. The “villain” came straight out of a cartoon and the character made absolutely no sense. The entire story felt ridiculous and it made no sense.

2 stars simply because I at least finished it.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc.

[v. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title, cover and description immediately caught my attention. I knew I had to get my hands on this one. There were a few things that bothered me while reading, so that's why I'm giving it a 3.5 (3 stars rounded down, sorry).

Now it wasn't bad, but not all good either. The story felt a little flat at times and it felt the story got dragged a bit. Besides that I liked it. The story was dark, mysterious and yet there was something cosy about it. The writing was very pleasant and easy to follow. It was descriptive and it felt like I was really there.

Fade's story was interesting, she comes from a complicated family and you just kept discovering more about her, her mom and aunt. I also loved her bantering with one of the side characters. The first half I was hooked, second half not so much. The story went slow and it felt like not much happened. Some chapters could've been shortened or even scrapped for sure. I just started caring less about the story and it's characters.

Overall it was fine. Not good, not bad.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Ale Domeier · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a good time, but was constantly pulled out of the story by the author's refusal to use swear words (frig and frag?). There's something very Canadian aboot that.